Seven years for unemployed dad

A 59 year-old unemployed dad cut a man's throat with a flick-knife following an argument over a game of cards.

Almost due to collect his Freedom Pass and never in trouble before, Michael Hayes began a seven year prison sentence on Friday after admitting the savage attack in an Acton High Street pub.

The court heard Hayes and 28 year-old James Gallagher became involved in an argument over a game of cards "and a few insults were exchanged," on May 15, 2007.

But the married attacker initially claimed he was not in Clare Inn when the incident took place.

In fact, Hayes, of DuCane Road, Shepherd's Bush, left the pub but "returned a minute or two later with a knife and cut Mr Gallagher's throat from behind."

Prosecutor David Ryan at Isleworth Crown Court said: "It was a completely unprovoked attack and left a wound needing 17 stitches.

"Had the wound been any deeper, it might have killed him."

Mr Gallagher, bleeding profusely, was taken to Central Middlesex Hospital where the wound was stitched up and Hayes, who has a teenage daughter, disappeared. He was eventually arrested in March last year and denied having a knife or using it.

Jailing him for wounding with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm, Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson told him the sentence would have been longer but for his ill-health and age.

He added: "You do now acknowledge at least part of the truth of the prosecution case. But the other side of that coin is that you acknowledge that you told a pack of lies to the jury.

"Following a completely trivial argument over a game of cards you left the bar. You could simply have walked away. But you returned carrying a flick knife and, from behind, you cut Mr Gallagher's throat.

"There was absolutely no physical or verbal provocation for that. He was unaware of your return before that happened. All of this was simply to avenge a perceived slight. It was an extremely unpleasant and cowardly way to attack someone.

"Fortunately the injury received did not turn out to be life-threatening. But it was a substantial and unpleasant wound which required stitching.

"It is inevitable that an attack of this sort must attract a substantial custodial sentence because of the potential consequences when people carry knives in the misguided belief that carrying knives can help them to sort out problems. The courts have to make it clear that sort of behaviour will not be tolerated."